Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-02

| himself and his patient sister. Just then
it almost maddened him.
ave are q happy family-we arel"
shouted Dick, tossing. slice OF his
uncle's toast to BiDgo.
However, a load Of growing doubt and
modification had been lifted from the
heart of Melanie by the discovery Of that
morning, and she felt thankful that the
institution of the despatch-box had
| proved futile in the end; and that it would
| be used no more, by her at least.
| Aud now it seemed most strange tnet
suspicion of this systematic and continued
treachery had never occurred to her pc
fore.
Though sorry to leave her just then,
Reggie returned 70 the hall, where ne was
aware that he had to keep his own coun-
sci about the recent denouement, with
reference to his host, for whose elation,
ctused By MIR. GrimshaW'S last letter, he
could not account.
But stung TO the soul by what his uncle
had said to him, ere he left Rose Cottage
young Talbot said to that gentleman,
when he sought to excuse himself in the
matter of Melanie's correspondence:
"Can any motive excuse a sin? No, sir;
! no motive, however good-and this was
no. for good-can excuse lie, for lie is
always sinful in Itself, and every time you
suppressed letter you told falsehood
in effect, and was thus guilty OF it, and
Worsei"
| Melanie's horror of her uncle was now
| intensified. she had learned how sys-
| temstically cruel he could be and had
been, in witnessing, unmoved, her anx-
! iety, misery, occasional tears and bitter
modification at the non-arrivel OF letters
which he hsd been pitiIessly committing
! to the flames.
What hope could she have Of him
what faith in him-for the future? And
yet, for the sake of Reggie and Dick, who
who were so helpless, she dared not defy
him openly.
She would leave Rose Cottage and
work at anything for stipend, however
small, she thought once more, as the old
desire for freedom grew strongly in her
mind; but would there be any happiness
in that freedom when her two dear ones
were left behind her and to his mercy?
Yet it was with bright and hsppy ex-
preston ripping oil over her sweet face,
that early the same forenoon, Melanie,
that not 8 moment might be lost, took
her way through the now damp and
dreary November lanes to the village
postoff1ce, in order to despatch with her
own haud-as Reggie had suggested-the
letter which she had written swiftly, low
ingly,s and full of explanations to Mon
tsgue Lonsdale; and though she had tried
earnestly to keep the pages spotless and
smooth, they were blistered and blotted
with the tears of affection that would fall
in spite of her.
at may be weeks upon weeks before
he gets it," she thought, as with prayer
On her lips she dropped it into the narrow
slit, and heard it fall into the box below
the first stage upon its long, long jour
ney.
Then she turned away to seek her
friends at the vicsrage, with-ss we have
seld-a load of sorrow lifted off her
heart.
Full of her letter and her presents-the
gold necklet and bangles, which were
beautifully chased-Melanle fastened to
show them-her newly-found treasures
young, girl-like, to Amy, who, now that
her own enxieties were over, was merry
and rosy as ever, and in all the beauty of
perfect health and activity, with sweet
unseIfsh nature, but whose life was
just then-she alleged-made some
what OF burden to her, by
her mothers advice and hints
on economy and future household man
agement, as ii the wife Of royal hussar
had to think Of such things! But then,
old Mrs. Brendon was WomSn Of rigid
economy, and was even then ekiDg out
winter mantle OF black corded silk from a
selection of hat bands and funeral scarves. |
Certainly, with all her attractions, it
was evident that Amy would never be-
come what is deemed slime lady," or
shine among the stars Of the London
armament; but Melanie as she listened |
envied Amy that she had g mother to
guide her; mother she could turn to in
her troubles, when they came.
Ere Melanie, 10th to leave the trio OF
kind and sffectionate friends, had ended |
q very protracted visit to the ViCarage,
catastrophe had occurred at home be- |
tween her Uncle Grimshsw and her
brother Dick, an event which her heart
had long foreboded; and now, since the
expose of the dispatch box, the mind OF
the former had become filed with
greater amount OF Bdncor, selHshness and
hatred than ever.
CHAPTER XL.-PLANTAGENET PUGwAsH,
RsQ.
Reginald Talbot, We have said, had re-
solved to keep his own counsel about al
this recent affair on his return to Ravens
bourne Hall.
"Now, Dick, shove Of, my boy" said
he, lapsing into his nautical phrascology
and setting in motion his self propelling
chair, which, in his moments of cheerful
ness, he was wont to aver made him |
almost independent Of limbs. "Yet being
excluded from all kind OF sport does iso- |
late poor devil sol" he would add.
And now, as Dick with kindly good |
will pushed his chair from behind, with |
Bingo gamboliDg and barking beside him,
the brothers talked at intervals, but in a |
disjointed manner, of the recent discovery |
and of the affair Of Melanie and the Bsro !
net, for Dick was sharp little lad, and |
full of observation beyond MS years.
AS he wheeled his helpless brother
through the green lanes, where the fsllen
spoil OF autumn lay thick and damp, the
latter gave more than one wistful glance
st the little square tower of Stokencross,
then tipped with golden sunshine, for he
knew that the roof of Amy Brendon's
abode was close thereby.
'tLife is hard on some people" said he,
pursuing his own thoughts. "To me it
seems difficult 10 think that whatever is,
is best, and to be thankful for ones mis-
cry"
Fittings are never so bad that they
might not be worse, Reggie" said
Dick, philosophicslly; "think Of some
moor folksD